Switch



May 30, 1933;

H. L. VAN VALKENBURGV E'r AL SWITCH Filed March 3, 193,2

' :s sheets-sheet 1 MY 30, 1933. H. L. VANLVALKFTNBURG ErAL l #1,912,109i

SWITCH Filed March 5, 1932 5 sheets-sneu 2 i su go/V06' @am I cittrmg`May 3o, 1933;

H. I.. VAN vVALKENBURG Er 'AL 1,912,109

4swITcH 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 md March 5; 1932 :Snnentons S (IttornegPatented May 1933 UNITED '-.sTATEs .PATENT OFFICE miroir L. vANVALKENBURG, or wAUwA'iosA, AND GEoEGE w.v norma, or MIL- wAUxEE,WISCONSIN, AssIGNoEs 'ro soUAEE n COMPANY, or nmnorr, MICHIGAN swncnApplication ma luren a, ma. 'semi m. 596,542.

lease or opening button which releases theA switch mechanism and allows4the switch mechanism to open althou h the closing buttonmay behelddown, an to provide ajplue rality of overload devices either or both ofwhich will trip the switch mechanism and, allow Ithe switch to fopen,such action .taking lace whether or not the closing or starter Vutton isheld down at the time either or both of the Overload devices o erates,thereby adapting the switch to po yphase systems,

" such forexample as supply motors or other under predeterminedconditions,"such for expolyphase loads. j

Fufther objects of this invention are to provide'a switchin which thereis a trip-free mechanism provided which normally operatively connectsthe switch closing or starter y button and the switch mechanism,lbutwhich nevertheless trips free of the starter button.'

and allows the switch mechanism tov open ample as under overload, andalsofeven if both the starter button and the stopor opening button wereboth inadvertently held depressed, so that even in an emergenc if both1uttons were operated, neverthe ess the switch would open. A.

Further objects are to provide an electric switch in which stationarycontacts are engaged by movable contacts carried by'a movable yokedetachably operatively coupled to a start-er button, and in which anindependent latch mechanism is provided for retaining the yoke in switchclosed position, and to provide means which may be actuated either by aiclosing button to release the latch ,mechanisms, or which may beoperated by overload 'devices to release the latch mechanisms, tothereby insure the rising or opening m0- tion of the yoke independentlyof the starter buttonor switch closing button@v g Further objects are toprovid'le ane switch whichv in specific detail -may be of the to a pushbutton type lectric l manual starter type for small polyphase motors inwhich the starter button is depressed to \close the switch and remainsdepressed under normal conditions, 'thereby giving an indication thatthe switch is closed, and to assoclate with this type of mechanism atripfree switch mechanism which though normally interlocking ith thestarter button, nevertheless is detayhed either by overload conditionsor by the operation of a stop button, from the starter utton, preferablytwo independent latch mechanisms bein provided one of which retains theyoke 1n switch closed position, and the other of which securesI theoperative connection between thel starter button and the switchmechanism, so that one of the latches may operate independentlyof theother, as for instance during the closin motion of the switch, and inwhich the latch mechanism is so made that both latches may Ibesimultaneously released# Furtherfobjects are to provide a ush buttonswitch in which the switch mec anism is closed by means of the switchclosing or starter button, in which the switch mechanism is openedeither 4by overload devices or by a stop button,'a`nd in which the stopbutton itself operates as a reset means for resetting the overloaddevices, whereby it is impossible tov close the switch through theagency 'of the starter button without first resetting the over- ,loaddevices by depressing the stop orl reset button.

Further objectsare to provide an electric switch of the push button typewhich is very compact, which is easy to construct,

which is relatively small although accom'- plishing all of the aboveenumerated results,

fastening devices of this type.

f Further objects are to generally improve the construction of electricswitches of the above defined type and to provide a construction whichmay be easily made, which is cheap to manufacture, and whichislwhollyreliable in operation. Other objects of the invention willappear as the description proceeds. y

An embodiment of the invention is shown 1n the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the switchilsuch v iew ,correspond-l ing to a section on t e line 1-.-1 of Figure 2.Figure 2 is a plan View of the switch with the cover removed and withparts in section.

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view ap-` i, that the switch comprisesa body portion 1 of insulation which is carried within a metal casing 2,preferably an insulating, sheet 3 being interposed between the rear ofthe metal casing and the body portion. The metalrcasing is providedvwith a metal cover 4 which may be locked in position by sliding j thetongue 5 of the cover beneath the tongue 6 of they casing, see Figure1,and by snapping the other end of the casinginto position so that thespring tongue 7 lockshthe free end of the cover in place, the coverbeing preferably provided with. overhanging flanges 8. Q The cover isprovided with a pair of apertures through which the starting or switchclosing button 9 and the opening'or stop button 10 pass. If desired, anoutwardly projecting flange 13 may surround both buttons.

The body portion is provided with pillows orpguide posts 14, see Figure4, upon which an insulating yoke 15 is slidably carried, springs 16being provided for lifting the yoke to switch open position.y

y The yoke carries the movable contactsand is provided with a pluralityof rectangular slots 17 see Figures 2 and 5, -which receive the shanks18 ofV the movable contacts, which will hereinafter be described. Theslots 17 have opposed grooves 17 in the side walls ofsuch/-slots Theshanks 18 arerevtained in place by means o/ffretaining clips 19 whichslide downwardly into theV grooves 17', see

Figures 2'and 5, and thereby prevent the' ,the upper ends of the shanks18, as indicated by the dotted lines transversely' of the Shanks inFigure 2, and as may be additionally understood from reference to Figure5. This the inadvertent removal of the Shanks.

prevents the inadvertent detachment of the clips from the Shanks, andtheclips themselves sliding within the opposed grooves formed in the wallsof the slots 17 prevent Each of the Shanks 18 is provided with a contactbridgin member or movable contact 21 which bridges the correspondingpair of stationary contacts, the stationary conytacts being securedwithin recessed portions -3such tongue being urged upwardly and intolatching position with respect to the wheel 24 by means of the spring26. Preferably, the lower ends of the latching tongues 25 are pivoted toinsulating cylindrical members 27, see Figures 1, 2 and 3. Theseinsulating members 27 are -pivotally joined to the tongues 25 by meansofthe pivot pins 28, as shownmost clearly in Figure 3, and such pivot pinsride within slots formed in the guides 29. As indicated in dotted linesin Figure 2 and as shown for one of the insulating members 27 in Figure3, it will be seen that each insulating member 27 is rovided with anoiset portion 30, such o set portion 30 being located on opposite sidesof the reduced portion 31 of the stem ofthe opening or sto button 10,see Figure 1.

Thestem o the switch opening or stop butt'on 10 is provided with a slide32 spring pressed upwardly by means of the spring 33 and guided upon thestem or post 34. This post 34 and the guiding posts 14, as shown inFigure 4, are each riveted or yotherwise se cured to a top plate 35through which the stems from both/buttons 9 and 10 pass and by means ofwhichf such stems are guided adjacent'theirupper ends.

-Referring now'to the switch closing or starter button 9, it will beseen that the lower end'of the shank is provided with a reduced portion36 around which the spring 37 for biasing the starter button-towardsopenpo' sition is placed.

This starter button shank is provided with a notched portion 38, againstthe lower shoul` der of which a pivot pin 39 carried by the yoke normallbears, and against the upper portion of wllielrthe upper end yof a latchmember 40 normally bears, to thereby operatively connect the starterbutton to the yoke 15, as shown most clearly in Figure l.

This latch 4() is provided with an integral outwardly projecting.portion which is preferably formed of two 4substantially parallel leverarms 41, each provided'with an upstanding approximately centrallylocated tongue which carries a transverse pin 42. j This pin normallyrides on the flat face of a cam member 43 pivotallyv carried, asindicated-at44, by the top plate 35. The camv member is provided with acam surface 45 cooperating with a cam surface 46 formed in the sha-nk ofthe stop button or switch openingbutton 10, so that when such latterbutton is depressed, the cam member 43 is rocked in a clockwisedirection, engages the pin 42 and trips the latch 40,therebykdisconnecting thestarter button from the yoke and permitting theyoke to/ rise so far as the starter button is concerned, although suchstarter button may be retained inadvertently in depressed position.

An additional latch 47 is loosely lpivotally mounted upon the latch byinserting a tongue 48- formed on the latch 47 within a correspondingaperture formed in the latch 40, as shown in Figure 1.

This latch 47 is provided with a bearing portion 48 which is adapted tolock beneath an overhanging member 49 turned downwardly from the topplate 35. It is unseated or detached whenever the latch4O isvdisengagedfrom the shank of the starter or switch closing button 9, as such latch40 is provided with a tongue 50 which engages the latch 47 and rocks thelatch 47 out of engagement with the member 49, thereby permitting theyoke to rise, or in other words, to move to switch open position. l

The latches may be tripped by other means than by the stop or switchopeningbutton A 10. For example, they. are tripped whenever either ofthe overload devices, such as the thermal overload 4devices previouslydescribed, operate when overload condition obtains. This resultisaccomplished by the engagement of either or both of the projectingmembers 30. see Figures 1, 2-and 3,-with-the lever 41, which lattermember is integral 'with the latch 40. Obviously, therefore, when eithermember 30 rises due to the operation of the overload device, the lever41 will be rocked in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure1, and the latch is tripped, thereby allowing the yoke 15 to rise ormove outwardly to switch openl position;

The switch opening or stop button performs an additional function ofresetting either or both ofthe overload devices. is accomplished byproviding shoulderedportions 51 on the shank of the stop button 10 in aposition to overhang the projecting members 30` so that such stop buttonmay be depressed to reset the overload devices by press- This ing downone or both of the members 30, depending upon whether one or both of theoverload devices has operated, thereby carrying down with such memberthe corresponding latch 25, see Figure 3, which then engages the ratchetwheel 24, of the thermal overload the rocking of the outer latch 47 ,asthe starter button is .depressed independently of any .rocking motion ofthe latch 40, so that the latch 47 may freely move outwardly and thensnap between the overhanging member 49 without rocking the latch 40 andthus without interrupting the operative connection between the starterbutton and the yoke.

Itis, of course, within the province of thisl invention to provide someinterlocking mechanism between the cover and the switch parts. Forinstance, the yoke may loe provided with a projecting portion 52, seeFigures 2 and 3, which engages a locking bell crank 53 pivotaly carriedby the casing 2 and adapt= ed to interlock with a hook member 54 carriedby the cover 4, as shown in Figure 3.

This bell crank lever is urged towards unlocked position ,by means ,ofthe spring 55 and is moved into locking position whenever the switch isclosed, to thereby prevent the opening of the cover until the switch isopened.

It will be seen that an electric switch has# been provided which isequipped with a starter button or switch closing button and 'a stopbutton or switch opening button, and

' ditions.

It is to be also noted that the stop button or switch opening button hasthe additional function of resetting the overload devices in the eventeither or both has operated.'

It will be seen further that the device is simple, is easy to construct,and is eminently practical in operation.

Although this invention` has been described in considerable detail, itis to be understood mechanism biased towards open position, a

push button for closing said switch, locking means for locking saidswitch mechanism in closed position, a second push button for releasingsaid locking means, an overload device for tripping said locking means,and

v means controlled from said second push button for resetting saidoverload device, whereby when said second push button is depressed saidoverload device is reset.

2. A push button switch comprising switch mechanism biased towards openposition, a

push button for closing said switch and nor-v mally operativelyconnected to said switch, locking means for locking said switch inclosed position, a second push button for releasing said locking means,an overload device for tripping said locking means, and means controlledfrom said second push button for resetting said overload device, saidoverload device interrupting the' operative connection between saidfirst mentioned push button and said switch mechanism'andysaid secondpush button ie-establishing said operative connection when said secondpush button is depressed.

3. A push button switch comprising switch mechanism biased towards openposition, locking mechanism for locking said switch mechanism in closedposition, a first push button for moving said switch mechanism to closedposition, means holding said first push button depressed while saidswitch mechan ism is in closed position, an overload device forreleasing said locking mechanism, and a second push button for releasingsaid locking mechanism.

4. A push button switch comprising switch mechanism biased towards openposition, locking mechanism for locking said switch mechanism in closedposition, a first push button for moving said switch mechanism to closedposition, means holding said irst push button depressed while saidswitch mechanism is in closed position, an overload device for releasingsaid locking mechanism,fand a second push button for releasing saidlocking mechanism, said second push button and said overload deviceacting independently of each other to release said locking mechanism.

5. A push button switch comprising switch mechanism biased towards openposition, locking mechanism for locking said switch mechanism in closedposition, a first push button for moving said switch mechanism to closedposition, means holding said first push button depressed while saidswitch mechanism is in closed position, an overload dev overload deviceactin independently of each other to release said ocking mechanism, andmeans controlled from said second push .button for resetting saidoverload device.

6. A polyphase push button switch com- 'I prising switch mechanismbiased towards open position, latch means for lookin said switchmechanism in closed ityV of overload devices for independently trippingsaid latch means, a release button for releasing said latch means, andmeans controlled from said release button for resetting either` or bothsaid overload devices.

7. polyphase push button switch comprising switch mechanism biasedtowards open position, latch means for locking said switch mechanism inclosed position, closing means-for closing said switch, releasableoperative connecting means between said closing means and said switchmechanism, a plurality of overload devices for independently trippingsaid latch means, a release button for releasing said latch means, andmeans controlled from said release button for resetting either or bothsaid overload devices, the operativeconnection between said closingmeans and said switch mechanism being interrupted by the operation ofeither of said overload devices.

8. A polypha'se push button switch comprising switch mechanism biasedtowards open position, latch 4means for locking said switch mechanism inclosed position, closing means for closing said switch, releasableoperative connecting means between said closing means and said switchmechanism, a plurality of overload devices for independently trippingsaid latch means, a release button for releasing said latch means, randmeans conition, c osing vmeans for closing said switc and apluraltrolled from said release button for resetting l Vwhereby saidyoke may be depressed by said closing button, a spring for lifting saidclosing button, a second latch adapted to lock said yoke in switchclosed position, an opening button for releasing said second mentionedlatch, and an overload device for releasing both said latches.

10. A push button switch comprising stationary contacts, a yoke, movablecontacts carried by said yoke, a spring tending to move said yoke intoswitch open position, a closing button, latch mechanism detachablyconnectingsaid closing button and said yoke,

- whereby said yoke may/be depressed by said closing button, a springfor lifting said closing button, a second latch adapted to-lock saidyoke in switch closed position, an 'opening button for releasing saidsecond mentioned latch, and an overload device for releasing both saidlatches, said overload device being reset by said opening button. 11. Apush button switch comprising stationary contacts, a yoke, movablecontacts carried by said yoke, a spring tending to move said yoke intoswitch open osition, a closingbutton, latch mechanism etachablyconnecting said closing button and said yoke, whereby said yoke mayjbedepressed by said closing button, a second latch adapted to lock saidyoke in switch closed position, an opening button for releasing saidsecond mentioned latch, and a plurality of overload devices eachindependently operative to detach at least one of said latches.

12. A push button switch :comprising sta-l tionary contacts, a yoke,movable contacts carried b said yoke, a spring tendmg to move sai yokeinto switch open position, a'

80 closing. button, latch mechanism detachably connecting said closingbutton and said yoke,

whereby saidyoke may be depressed b said.

closing button, a sring for lifting saiI closin button, a secon latchadapted to lock said o e in switch closed position, an opening 13. pushbutton switchcomprising a yoke carrying contacts, stationary `contactscooperatingwith said first mentloned con' .45 tacts when said yoke isdepressed, a spring urging said yoke to switch open positlon, a

latch restraining said yoke in closed position,

a closing button spring urged upwardl and adapted to force said yokedownwar l a second latch mechanism detachably operatively coupling saidbutton and said yoke, and a stop button for releasing both said latches,whereby said oke may rise independentlyv of said closing utton. i

1 4. A push button switch comprising stationary contacts, a yokeprovided with movable contacts cooperating with said stationary contactswhen said yoke is depressed, a spring urging said yoke upwardly aclosing button in ependent y spring urged upward mechanism foroperatively coupling said closing button and said yoke, latch mechanismfor locking said yoke Iin, switch closed position, 'a stop button, cammechanism o erated v by said stop button fordetaching both atches, A

. slot extending through said yoke and opening latch1 and a pair ofoverload devices for detaching both said latches, each operable eitherjointl with or independently ofthe other, and eac overload deviceoperating to detach both said latches independently of said cammechanism.

15. A push button switch comprising switch mechanism biased towards openposition, latch means for locking said switch mechanism in closedposition, closing means for closing said switch, an overload device 75.for tripping said latch mechanism, a release button .for releasing saidlatch, and means' controlled from saidpush button for resetting saidoverload device, the operative connection between said closing means andsaid switch mechanism being interrupted by the operation of saidoverload device.

16. A push button switch comprising switch mechanism biased towards openposi- Y tion, latch means for locking said switch mechanism in closedposition, closing means for closing-said switch, an overload device fortripping said latch mechanism, a release button for releasing'saidlatch, landmeans controlled from said push button for resetting saidoverload device, theoperative connection between said closing means andsaid switch mechanism being interrupted -by the operation of saidoverload device and remaining interrupted until said releaseA Abutton isoperated.

17. A switch having stationary contacts, a movable yoke provided with arectangular laterally thereof, a stem slidably carried 100 'within saidslot and having movable contacts adjacent one end jfor cooperation withsaid stationary contacts and having notches adjacent the other end, saidyoke having opposed grooves formedinthe walls of saidslot, and afastening clip slidable into said grooves and having ears engaging thenotches in said stem, said clip holding said stem in said slot.

In testimony whereof, the signatures ofthe inventors are aiiixed hereto.no

HERMON' L. VAN VALKENBURG.

i GEORGE w. HoiEM.

' ias

